The present invention broadly relates to a new and improved construction of an apparatus for radially securing a cartridge upon being inserted by means of a breechblock into the weapon barrel of a firing weapon.
In its more specific aspects, the present invention relates to a new and improved construction of an apparatus for radially securing a cartridge which is to be inserted into the weapon barrel of an externally driven firing weapon by means of a breechblock constrained to move or reciprocate forwards and backwards. The apparatus possesses at least one weapon barrel rotating within a weapon housing. There is also provided an extracting or withdrawal hook or claw at the breechblock which engages in an extracting or withdrawal groove of the cartridge case or sleeve and which prevents the cartridge from slipping off the breechblock head in a radial direction. Additionally, the apparatus contains a feeler element or pin which is disposed radially opposite to the extracting or withdrawal hook or claw and which determines or senses whether a cartridge has been inserted into the weapon barrel. This feeler element or pin is displaceable in the axial direction thereof and is loaded by a spring which strives to hold the feeler element or pin in its forwardmost position. When a cartridge is present, the feeler element or pin can be slid or displaced into its rearmost position, against the force of the spring, by means of the base of the cartridge case.
In an externally driven firing weapon of this type, as known from European Published Patent Application No. 11,240, published June 20, 1984, cognate with U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,641, granted Nov. 5, 1985 there is provided a security or safety apparatus which prevents unlocking or release of the breechblock when there occurs a firing delay. In the case of firing weapons of the Gatling gun type, the danger exists that with a firing delay the cartridge will still be fired or ignited after the unlocking or release of the breechblock which is constrained to move forwards and backwards. A firing or ignition of the cartridge after the breechblock has been unlocked or released is undesired. This security or safety apparatus possesses a feeler pin serving to establish whether or not a cartridge has been inserted. This known apparatus responds either to the gas pressure, the recoil of the firing weapon, the forward travel of the firing weapon, or to a bulging of the cartridge case and causes a separation or disconnection of the breechblock head from its breechblock carrier. As a result, the breechblock head remains in its locked position if the cartridge does not duly fire or ignite after it has been pierced by the firing pin. However, this known firing weapon does not possess any securing or safety apparatus which, when the cartridge is inserted by means of the breechblock into the weapon barrel, can prevent a radial sliding off of the cartridge from the breechblock.
It is conventional to provide a disk-shaped recess at the front end of the breechblock, into which projects the rear end of the cartridge upon being inserted into the firing weapon barrel, whereby the cartridge is secured against any lateral displacement. However, to ensure that the cartridge can engage into this disc-shaped recess at the front end of the breechblock, the extracting or withdrawal hook or claw must be pivoted out and subsequently pivoted in again,in order that it projects into the extracting or withdrawal groove of the cartridge.